Serve

First Presbyterian Church of Champaign takes seriously Christ’s mandate calling us to care for the weak, sick, homeless, famished, those in prison and others with special needs. We believe that communities such as Champaign-Urbana need a broad base of church and synagogue support to discern and speak out on the social needs of the community, and then act accordingly to address these issues.

This concern and involvement applies also to the national and international community to which we belong. Our church supports both financially, and through volunteer work, the community service work of nineteen agencies in the Champaign-Urbana area as well as over 34 PC(USA) sponsored missions, missionaries, church work groups, and church members doing mission work throughout the United States and the world.

The community-based agencies that we support provide:

  • shelter, clothing, nutritional meals, food pantry, housing, tutoring, mentoring and other assistance; and
  • special ministries for families and individual members in crises from abuse or neglect, substance abusers, transitional services for refugees plus other services.

Nationally and internationally, we support PC(USA) missionaries plus projects that address issues ranging from:

  • disaster relief in various parts of the United States and around the world;
  • to clean drinking water in Malawi; and
  • medical and dental clinics in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, to name a few of the many projects.

The middle school, senior high, and adult age groups each participate in separate work groups that provide clean up, fix-up, or construction services for our area camp facilities, to depressed areas within the United States, and neighboring countries.

Our high school “Go and Serve” has been a tradition for more than 40 years. Our middle school trip is called Follow Me. Adults take “Mission Possible” trips each May through June to Presbyterian camp and conference centers working on their facilities in preparation for the summer sessions.

We also encourage and provide financial assistance for individual college students and other church members so that they can participate in mission projects separately and individually from the work group projects.

The missions program at First Presbyterian Church Champaign is successful because many groups support missions in their own way. Presbyterian Women, for example have a substantial budget separate from the church budget. We are aware that many individuals provide direct volunteer and financial support to the community agencies that are unknown to the church. We encourage members to volunteer through the church or separately, as they feel called. For more information, you may contact the missions coordinator by calling the church or visit our interactive website http://fcmission.blogspot.com.